Newcastle United's flying winger Laurent Robert is on the verge of a recall to the French side - leaving Bobby Robson with yet another club v country controversy.

United have been informed by the French Football Federation that Robert is on an initial list of players for the friendly with Algeria a week on Saturday.

And if this turns out to be the case Robert could be heading to Australia for a friendly with France at the beginning of November.

Not surprisingly Robson, who has been involved in a running battle with Nobby Solano and Peru, is not exactly pleased. For while there are no Premiership games on the weekend of the Aussie clash on November 11, Robert will still face a gruelling round trip to Melbourne which will see him in the air for a total of 46 hours.

And it's hardly the best preparation for Robert and the other French players in the Premiership like the Arsenal quartet of Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord and Chelsea's Emmanuel Petit and Marcel Desailly.

United face a difficult game against Fulham at Craven Cottage after the French friendly in Australia and Robert is unlikely to be in the best condition to face Jean Tigana's side.

France's single-minded boss Roger Lemerre is oblivious to all the criticism coming his way from the Premiership as he sets his sights on retaining the World Cup next summer.

Lemerre has ignored the nine-times capped Robert since the former Paris St Germain winger joined United last month.

But Robert's rave reviews will obviously have reached Paris and I was told from the French capital today that it would be a surprise if United's &#xA3;10 million man was not in the squad for the Algeria and Australia friendlies.

Robson, of course, is a former national boss himself and one of the fairest men in football and tries his hardest to co-operate.

However, he told me today: "I have to say that I think this trip to Australia is a silly match.

"I know France are World and indeed European champions and

because of this they have no qualifying matches as such. But it's ridiculous to ask players to go to Australia for a friendly. It's amazing really.

"But having said that, Laurent Robert deserves to be in the French squad. He is a class act. He is a high quality technical player with some expertise - something we all saw against Leicester City last night."

Robert himself says he is "obsessed" with playing for his country - and no one can blame him for that.

But Robert's immediate aim is to find his shooting boots for Sunday's Premiership clash with Liverpool at St James's Park after somehow failing to get on the scoresheet in last night's 1-0 win over Leicester despite having several chances.